Are we okay?

It's a very quiet this morning.

They're waiting.

Anticipation of an exciting meeting.

Sorry, sorry.

We're gonna let you down.

It's not gonna be too exciting.

Well, thanks for your patience.

We were having a few technical difficulties this morning, and thanks for being here.

I'll call to order the August 20th meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

Note the presence of all three commissioners.

Commissioner McKeesha is online.

So I will have just Jeff Scott and his son remind me of your son's name.

Jason, I'm gonna have you lead us in the pledge.

I have to put you on the spot.

Under God.

Great job, Jason.

All right.

Um thanks all for being being here.

I hope everyone's had a good summer.

I can't believe that uh we're almost back to school and the summer is almost over.

My kids start school on the 31st.

So I've got another week or so of juggling uh the family before they go back to school.

Um so I have a few comments this morning.

Um first uh we all know that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, which thousands of lives were lost.

Yesterday, we announced that the uh that the county's monument to commemorate the 9-11 attacks will be moving back to Narristown.

Uh some of you may recall that the county's 9-11 memorial was relocated from the courthouse to our emergency operations center in Eagleville in 2021.

Uh, we decided, and this was in partnership with Commissioner De Bello to make this move in order to allow more public access and visibility to the monument.

I want to take a moment to thank the Philadelphia Building Trades members, volunteers, and businesses who have generously donated their time, talent, and materials to help facilitate this move, all in an effort to save taxpayer money.

And I want to also thank uh the Narrestown Council who voted to provide this permanent space in Elmwood Park.

Uh there will be a public procession of the memorial through Lower Providence, West Narnton, and Norris Town.

The procession will begin at 9 a.m.

on Tuesday, September 1st.

And we have established a few public viewing areas to watch the procession.

Centennial Park in West Narton Township, Lower Providence Fire Department, and Elmwood Park in Narristown.

Then on Friday, September 11th, we'll be hosting a rededication ceremony for the memorial at 10 a.m.

at its new home in Elmwood Park.

I'd like to just give Commissioner DeBello uh an opportunity to share a few thoughts on this project.

Oh thank you.

Uh as Commissioner Weiner mentioned, I mean last year I I I forget what when what part of last year when I brought it up about us looking at uh moving the this memorial, and once again it demonstrated how uh the three of us talked about you know, talked about this and you know felt that working together we were going to get this done at Commissioner Weiner and myself uh over the last couple weeks have kind of really been spearheading this.

Not that Commissioner Makesha wasn't involved, they're not supportive, but as uh as your commissioners, this is how we operate sometimes where we kind of divide and conquer on on initiatives throughout Montgomery County.

And uh so this was one initiative where we were working together on getting this memorial moved.

And uh when we when this first came up when we were talking about this, we got bids uh to actually move it between three hundred between three hundred and four hundred thousand dollars uh to move this memorial, and we were we were trying to figure out like this this is something that we wanted to uh push, you know, as as an off as an expense, and we start reaching out to different organizations, the labor unions, the uh businesses and all that.

Um we kind of start proposing it, and what's amazing, and we'll talk more about this later uh as at the when we move it and actually at the ceremony itself, we'll have a full list of everyone that contributed.

Um but what was amazing as soon as one got involved, um it was just like everyone understood the importance of this memorial and why it was important to get it to a place where uh the community was able to be able to view and see it uh again.

And um it was just amazing.

It was it was amazing how they everyone just stepped up and said yeah let's get this done and and so it's good there's a it's a minimal minimal cost to the county or some things we had to buy for supply you know like anchor bolts or whatever it may be but uh we we're able to do this entire move uh saving you know the taxpayers over three hundred thousand dollars and that's that's really demonstrates um you know our community uh how we all come together uh here in Montgomery County uh to make something like this happen so we're really proud to be able to have this uh occur we're really excited about the procession um we've already decided it's not going to rain so keep good good thoughts to keep the rain away on uh september first and so if you have the time please uh there's that we showed the route so if you have the time please be out and support this uh and view the memorials we're coming down uh from from the current location to where it's uh at over elmwood elmwood park um and then we're going to have uh a uh uh uh and you know really uh uh an awesome uh memorial service on 9-11 itself recognizing the 25 years uh at the park as well um so we encourage everyone to come uh as well I can't believe it's 25 years but you know it's it's definitely warrant and we're gonna be we're gonna be there so again thank you for all the volunteers businesses um the staff here at Montgomery County as well and and my fellow commissioners for for us all working together to get this memorial moved uh uh in a timely fashion great thank you um speaking of honoring our law enforcement partners earlier this month I was able to attend uh several national night out events uh national night out has grown into a national movement over the past 40 years it's a way for communities to feel connected with the police and first responders who serve them I stopped by the community's uh events in Plymouth and Norristown and it was great to see so many friends and neighbors I know municipalities across Mako had great turnouts too this event builds a sense of community between residents and law enforcement and I'm always happy to participate and uh if you don't didn't get to go to an event this year I would encourage you uh to join uh next year uh it's a really great event next it's my pleasure to honor a few guests that we have here today uh would Crystal and George Sullivan please stand there okay but just crystal today we'll we'll take just crystal well crystal and jewels are recent recipients of the PA department of health's 2026 permanent family recognition awards they have devoted them themselves to parenting for 25 years in addition to raising children of their own they have also fostered and adopted children into a safe and happy home the subtle Sullivan home has been a lifeline to so many children particularly those with special needs or those impacted by trauma one of the things I find most inspire inspiring is not just your generosity but your adaptability you meet each child who entered your home with empathy and understanding and I probably could take some parenting tips from you.

We want to thank you for being with us uh today uh you have been guardian angels to so many children in our community and you truly are an inspiration for all parents um and myself included so why don't you come on up and uh we'll take a fix picture with you thank you hold on thanks for being here just a little there you go perfect look right here one more two awesome great thank you okay thank you um next we're joined uh by Montgomery County's 2026 Poet Laureate Dr.

I don't know if Commissioner DeBello and I are any good at judging poetry.

I'm not.

But it's certainly something we we want to celebrate.

Michelle is an Ambler native who leads the creative writing MFA program at Arcadia University.

As our poet laureate, she will be serving as an ambassador for poetry and creative writing in our county.

And the goal is to increase access to workshops and readings for poets and create wider interest in poetry among readers.

So being poet laureate isn't just something you brag about.

It's a chance you are really uh taking to make our community a better place and give exposure uh to your field.

So congratulations, Michelle, on this honor, and we are so proud of you, and thanks for joining us today.

Do you want to come up for a picture?

Can you or do you want we'll come down there?

Oh, yes, Ross.